Flying With a Broken Wing
by awillowdeeplyscarred
Summary: Horses give us the wings we lack. Gabriella is a Olympic show jumper, but when a terrible accident at the Games leaves her unable to walk, will a well-placed romance be the magic cure? Eventual Troyella. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: Drama Queen

**Author's Note: **I'm a horse fanatic, so I'm writing this. Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except stuff you don't recognize and the plot.

**Flying with a Broken Wing**

**Chapter 1: Drama Queen**

**By musiclover94**

Gabriella Montez walked into the stable and inhaled the smell of it, her favorite smell in the world, the smell of fresh hay and saddle soap. Various glossy horses whinnied at her as she walked past their stalls, her riding boots making a _clip-clop, _similar to a horse's hooves walking, on the wooden floor. It was two days before the Beijing Olympics Horseback Riding Competition and antics were running higher than the highest horse. Gabriella trod the much-used path to her Arabian mare, Anastasia's stall. The pure-white horse nickered at her owner and walked to the front of the stall and tried to stick her nose through the bars. The brunette laughed and opened the gate, letting herself in.

"Ready for a workout, Ana?" she asked playfully. Her horse threw its dainty head up in the air, her mane flopping up, then down. Gabriella dug through her jacket pocket for a moment before extracting a bright orange carrot. She held it out to Anastasia, who took it greedily. Quickly, she got out a grooming brush and began to clean her horse, removing bits of loose hair, dust, and dirt, from her moon-like coat. After the last bit of loose hair floated to the floor, Gabriella picked up the grooming box and headed to the tack room to get her mare's saddle and bridle. She returned to her antsy horse with a glossy chestnut-colored saddle, a matching bridle in her hands, and a set of white pads to go under the saddle.

"Hey, antsy," she joked, setting the tack on a saddle hook on the outside stall wall and grabbing a halter and lead rope to tie her horse up so she wouldn't run away. She picked the pads and saddle up and hoisted then on her horses back with ease and fastened them on in a minute, having done it so many times before. She unhitched the halter and guided the bridle's bit into her mouth and tightened it so it wouldn't slip.

She double-checked everything one last time and then tugged at the reins to make her stubborn horse move. Anastasia jerked her head up, a wild gleam in her black eyes. She had always had a wild side to her, because of her Arabian blood. Gabriella calmly calmed down her high-strung mare and guided her to the practice arena.

"You sure do love that mare," her trainer, Mary Ellen Gordon said from behind, smiling at the duo.

"More than anything else," Gabriella said, smiling and leaning her head against her steed's neck, thinking back to when they first met.

_Flashback_

A sixteen-year old Gabriella was leaning up against a wooden fence post, looking at the many frolicking horses playing with each other, some galloping after their friends, some grazing, some just standing there, occasionally moving to twitch off an irksome fly.

"Take your pick, suga'," her father said. Instead of a car, like all of her friends had gotten for their Sweet 16, Gabriella had wanted a horse. She had her father wrapped around her finger, so basically she was a Daddy's Girl. Joe Montez had, without question, driven out her with his only child and let her pick out a horse. He trusted her to pick a sturdy, sensible horse, because that's how Gabriella was, sensible.

She scanned the herd, looking for her ideal steed to take her to the top: a horse that had a fiery spirit, but was strong and bold. Her eyes stopped at a pure white mare that was galloping at top speed at one of her pasture mates, throwing her glossy neck around, her mane barely touching her neck.

She made a dead stop in the center of the emerald green field and reared on her hind legs. Gabriella could hear her spirited neigh even from a distance. The enchanting mare spun around on her back legs, clearly enjoying being the center of attention. She was the high-spirited Gabriella's perfect match. She tapped her father's shoulder.

"Yes, suga'?" he asked.

"I want that one," she said business-like, pointing at the mare, who was now bucking all over the field, having the time of her life.

"You sure?" he asked her skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Absolutely," Gabriella said, looking at her father unblinkingly.

He walked over to the dealer and said a few words, gesturing to the white mare. The dealer looked surprised at Gabriella's choice. He walked over to her and said, "You sure you can handle that mare?"

"Never been more sure of anything in my life, mister," she said, looking at him straight in the eye.

The deal was done within the hour. The owner would trailer the horse over to the Montez's the next day.

Gabriella was up at the crack of dawn, the cold morning air hitting her face as she stepped outside, early-morning birds chirping overhead. She stationed herself on the spacious porch, which had a prefect view of the driveway where, in a couple hours, her horse would arrive. She rested her head on her arms and leaned against the railing.

_End Flashback_

Her horse, now several years older, pulled at the reins anxiously, as if saying _C'mon, let's go! _She smiled and led her into the arena. The dirt was untouched, no deep hoof prints for Anastasia to stumble in. She halted her mare and put one foot in the iron stirrup, taking care not to poke her horse in the stomach. She adjusted the girth one last time and then gave the jittery mare a light tap with the crop and a nudge in the ribs.

She set her into an easy trot for a warm up, feeling proud of how she had trained her dream horse from a wild thing to a relatively calm show horse. She still had her moments, though. Like now. Her high-strung mount was galloping at top speed around the arena, like she had just drunk a lake-full of soda. Gabriella calmly sat deep in her saddle and put her heels down and her toes up and pulled back in small increments with the reins. In a few minutes of this, Anastasia calmed down into a slow canter around the arena.

Gabriella took him expertly over a double oxer. As she lifted off the ground, she felt the familiar like she was flying without wings for a split second. Then, the Arabian landed gracefully and lightly on the dirt flooring and continued eagerly, ears pricked forward, to the next jump. After they did several round of jumping, she slowed him to a walk and let him have more rein. He let his graceful head and neck slump as he cooled down. Gabriella patted his shoulder and leaned down to hug his sweating neck. Anastasia let out a feeble nicker in reply.

"That's some horse you got there, Gabriella," Mary Ellen said again, smiling, "A really nice team."

The brunette beamed. "Thanks."

The July humidity and heat hit them full on as Gabriella led her horse to the hose. Anastasia was acting like a cat, trying to pull away from the impending water. Gabriella tugged at the lead. She finally tied the struggling mare to the rail and went to get the hose. Upon seeing the Device, the white mare sidestepped away from her rider, her ears back in warning.

"You don't want to smell, do you?" Gabriella laughed. Even when Ana was being a pain in the butt, she loved her. Her mare actually looked a little guilty after Gabriella's words. Gabriella reeled her in and started to pour water over her. The stout mare looked very uncomfortable at this action. She flattened her ears until they were level with her head and flared her nostrils. Gabriella continued to bathe her and said, "Oh, quit being such a drama queen," but ruined the effect by smiling at her. Ana still looked ornery.

After a few more minutes of bathing, Gabriella unhitched a very angry Anastasia from the post and led her back to her stall for the night. As she was taking off her halter, Anastasia gave Gabriella the Horse Evil Eye.

Gabriella kissed her on the forehead and whispered to her best friend, so that only the mare could hear her, "_Such _a drama queen."

**Author's Note: **The next chapter will be very action-packed, I promise. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2: Falling from Sky to Earth

**Author's Note:** Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I only own the plot and Anastasia. Oh, and stuff you don't recognize.

**Flying with a Broken Wing**

**Chapter 2: Falling from Sky to Earth**

**By musiclover94**

_Last Chapter…_

After a few more minutes of bathing, Gabriella unhitched a very angry Anastasia from the post and led her back to her stall for the night. As she was taking off her halter, Anastasia gave Gabriella the Horse Evil Eye. Gabriella kissed her on the forehead and whispered to her best friend, so that only the mare could hear her, "_Such _a drama queen."

--

The morning dawned bright and early. Very early. 5 a.m. to be exact. Gabriella stretched and rolled out of bed, eager to get to the stable to warm Anastasia up before the Olympic competitions started. _Olympics_. The word lingered on her tongue like a delicious piece of chocolate. She had been dreaming and wishing for years, ever since she had gotten on the back of a fat little bay pony named Scout when she was six, and now it had come true at long, long last.

She already had her show clothes in a bag, so she pulled on a pair of old jodhpurs, not quite pure-white like the ones she would wear for the Games, but ones she had for years. She slipped a loose-fitting blue T-shirt over her head and put her hair in a no-nonsense ponytail.

She grabbed a bagel, smothered it with jelly, seized her helmet from the counter, pulled on her boots, and headed out into the early morning rays.

The whole stable was empty except for her. Sure, when it was competition time, these horses were all game. But when they were in their stalls, they were completely out of it.

"Hey Junebug," she said to Mary Ellen's strawberry roan horse. With one eye closed, it gave a tired snort and closed the open eye. Gabriella smiled and went to her horse. The loose hay particles floated in the light peeking through the wooden roof panels.

"Hey Ana," Gabriella smiled at her apparently sleeping mare. Gabriella picked up a halter and lead rope from the hook and a carrot from her pocket. She put it over the stall door. The white beauty was chomping on it within seconds. Did carrots even _have _a smell? Gabriella thought about this as she quickly slipped inside the stall and fastened the red halter on Anastasia's regal head.

She clicked her tongue and led her out of the warm stall. She attached her to two long ropes on one side of Junebug's stall, the other on the wall of a dapple gray Thoroughbred's stall so that her testy mare was in the center of one half of the aisle. She started to rub her down with a curry comb, amazed by how much loose hair and dirt could accumulate in one night.

The horse's high ears twittered every which way, like antennas looking for a signal. When Gabriella got the last bit of dust off, she gave her a pat on the back and went to get her tack.

Anastasia's ears laid back when the brunette put the soft pads on her back.

"Oh, quit it," Gabriella said, faking scorn, but failing.

She lifted the beautiful chestnut-colored saddle onto the mare's broad back and tightened the girth, much to Ana's dismay. _At least she isn't fussy with the bit; _Gabriella thought to herself as she was guiding the snaffle into her mouth, _I would probably have no fingers if she were…_

The sun was finally showing when Gabriella and Anastasia were walking toward the small, grassy warm up arena. She adjusted herself in the saddle and gave Ana a small kick and a tap with the crop. She started in a gentle walk. More people were arriving now, glossy SUV's at every corner. Gabriella smiled at her old, but trustworthy, Ford pickup. She gave her ornery mare another small nudge in the ribs and she settled into an easy trot. She posted up and down, keeping her heels down and her toes up, since Anastasia was a rodeo horse before she bought her, trained to stop on a dime.

She nudged again and her mare rose in a beautiful, flowing trot, her mane bumping against Gabriella's hands. The footing seemed nice, so she got into the galloping position. The white ghost took the hint and increased to a controlled gallop. Gabriella felt almost weightless, like she was flying. She gradually slowed her down to a canter and steered her toward the jumps.

Her white ears pricked forward as she approached them. She picked up both of her front hooves and Gabriella instinctively leaned forward. As the back hooves left the earth, Gabriella felt like her hear was flying in her chest, an exhilarating feeling that was only reached when riding. She smiled and guided Ana to the next jump, eager to feel that feeling again.

Gabriella fumbled with the reins as she waited for her turn in the Olympics. Anastasia threw her fine head impatiently. "Cool it," she mumbled in her hear. She did seem a bit more unreasonable today…but Gabriella was sure she could handle her. Ana knew when it was show time.

"Nice mare you got there, Montez," a sneering voice said behind her. Gabriella whipped her head around, her dark curls bouncing on her dark jacket.

The girl behind her had blonde hair tied in a bun and wore a permanent smirk on her face. Shed looked, to Gabriella, the kind of rider who only rode because it was 'in'. Gabriella said hotly, "She's the best horse in the world." Before the blonde could retort, she spun around again and nudged Ana forward as another rider rode into the arena to possibly bring glory to the United States.

"And now Gabriella Montez on the Arabian Anastasia!" the commentator boomed into the microphone. Gabriella took a deep breath and nudged her mare into the arena. The four judges were on a table above the pattern of jumps. They kind of looked like ornery hawks overlooking their prey. She gave the Arabian the signal to lead into the canter. Together, they approached the first jump, a three-foot double pole. They flew over that one with no problem. Gabriella could hear distant rumbling from the crowd, but all her attention was on getting over jump after jump after jump…

Sharpay crept around the tunnels big enough for one human. She held the squirming squirrel in her hand, ready to release it. That Montez had stricken a bad note with her. She didn't deserve a medal. Sharpay _knew _that horse she was on, had once owned her. She knew squirrels frightened the Arabian. She finally located the tiny, rodent-size opening in the wall and released the squirrel.

From what Gabriella could tell from the blurry expressions of the judges, they looked pleased. One of them was actually smiling. One last jump, and they were done.

A tan blur of something shot out of an unnoticeable hole in the wall screaming ads for mb financial bank and things like that. Anastasia gave a high-pitched neigh and reared, her two front legs pawing the air, her delicate head struggling against the reins. Gabriella, remembering her training on this sort of thing from Mary Ellen, leaned forward so they wouldn't tip over, but the move was fruitless. The magnificent mare went back to her rodeo days and started to try to buck Gabriella off.

The latter tried frantically to stay on and just when she thought she had a somewhat firm grip on the reins, Anastasia caught sight of the squirrel again. He gave a whinny of pure fear and reared again. This time, Gabriella was totally unprepared. The mare toppled from the skys and landed on her rider. A sharp pain, and then a dull numbing all along her spine. Then, the stadium, the medics rushing toward her, the frantic cries of her white dancer disappeared and were replaced by total blackness.

**Author's Note: **There's always a catch, you know. Just keep that in mind. I know that whole Anastasia-going-crazy thing probably didn't sound very realistic, but that's because I've never been bucked off, thank God. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Matchmaker Montez

**Author's Note:** Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I only own the plot and stuff you don't recognize.

**Flying With a Broken Wing**

**Chapter 3: Matchmaker Montez**

**By musiclover94**

_Last Chapter…_

She gave a whinny of pure fear and reared again. This time, Gabriella was totally unprepared. The mare toppled from the skies and landed on her rider. A sharp pain, and then a dull numbing all along her spine followed. Then, the stadium, the medics rushing toward her, the frantic cries of her white dancer disappeared and were replaced by total blackness.

--

Gabriella's chocolate brown eyes fluttered open and she stared at the white ceiling tiles above her with a confused expression on her bruised face. Why was she there? The last thing she remembered was falling off Anastasia…As she thought about this, a joyful weep sounded from somewhere to the right of her. She turned her head with great difficulty and saw Gina Montez looking at her only child through teary eyes.

"Oh, thank you, thanks you thank you!" she said, directing the words skyward. "I was so worried, Gabriella. I thought we had lost you."

Gabriella still looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Sweetie," Gina said gently, looking at a doctor that was standing nearby. He nodded her on gravely. "You're paralyzed from the waist down and partially paralyzed on your upper half."

Gabriella stared at her teary mother for a few moments, digesting this news.

"What do you mean, 'partially paralyzed'? How did this _happen?_"

"Being partially paralyzed," the doctor said, moving into Gabriella's line of vision, talking in the deep, calm voice doctors always have, "means that, at least in your case, you can move your upper half, but with extreme and painful difficulty. It happened when your horse…Anastasia, I believe, reared too far back and fell on top of you. You're very lucky to be alive at all, Ms. Montez."

Mrs. Montez let out another strangled cry. Gabriella however, sounded panicky and asked frantically, "Is she okay? Is Anastasia okay? Can I see her?"

"Anastasia is in stable condition, but classified as a Highly Dangerous Creature, so you may not see her," the doctor said, trying to sound gentle, but failing. "And, if you would excuse me, I have to go enter your medical records into our database. He put his clipboard under his arm and walked out of the room.

"But Ana _isn't _dangerous, a squirrel jumped into the arena and spooked her!" Gabriella argued.

The fiery brunette felt a hand being laid sadly on her own. Her mother said, trying to sound as sympathetic as possible, "They may have to put her down, she's being awfully rowdy…"

Gabriella felt tears spring to her eyes. "But they can't put her down, they just can't! If I could only see her, she would calm down. She isn't the best around strangers!"

"I know, honey, but they won't let you see her…"

"Why isn't anybody listening to me?" Gabriella pleaded, tears quickly falling from her eyes, "Anastasia didn't hurt me because she was rowdy on her own! The squirrel riled her up! Why can't they see that the only thing that can cure her is _me!?_"

When her mother didn't reply, Gabriella turned sideways in the hospital bed, aiming to get out. But her legs felt like dead weights. She tried to get them to move, but the signals from her frazzled brain seemed to deflect off her leg nerves like a million tennis balls against a wall. Her mother held her back, helping Gabriella back to the uncomfortable hospital bed.

"They can't put her down, Mom…" she said weakly.

Gina just patted her daughter's hair, nodded, and said, "I know, _hija_, I know…"

The door clicked open and the doctor walked in, now clipboard free.

He bent down and whispered something into Gina's ear. Then she addressed her estranged daughter, handing her a piece of paper with almost unintelligible doctor handwriting scrawled on it. She could make out that it said she would be going to physical therapy sessions twice a week with someone named Troy Bolton, to try to learn how to use her upper half again.

Gabriella gave it back to her mother tiredly, noticing her mother's hopeful glint in her watery eyes. How could her mother be thinking of pairing Gabriella together with this Troy Bolton at a time like this? She looked again at the ceiling, trying to forget about it.

**Author's Note:** A bad filler chapter, I know. But please review and ideas are always appreciated, I will credit you! **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4: Author's NoteImportant

**Readers-**

**I'm discontinuing Flying With a Broken Wing. Sorry to all the people who read it, but I have no idea where to begin on this, and I have other stories in the works as well. If you would like to "adopt" this story and finish writing it yourself, just send me a review or a PM. Sorry again.**

**Xo-musiclover94**


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